Newsline: Ireland’s ambassador’s Tokyo rent cost €50k a month

The six-bedroom property where Ambassador Anne Barrington and her husband Ed Miliano lived in Tokyo cost around €600,000 a year until September 2015. The current price for the residence now stands at €46,000 per month. In a statement, a spokesperson said that a rent review last year led to a drop in the “core rent” of the property. “During the most recent negotiation the core rent (excluding parking facilities, etc) was reduced from 5,670,000 yen (€49,768) to 5,103,000 yen (€44,792).” The spokesperson added that the final charge came to €46,220 once all bills were included. The property is located at the Motoabazu Hills Forest Terrace East complex, and is currently the most expensive of Ireland’s ambassadorial residences. The 720 square metre residence is in a 29-storey apartment block, and is in one of Tokyo’s wealthiest and most desirable neighbourhoods. According to the Irish Embassy, 30 to 40 events are hosted in the premises each year. Ireland’s Embassy in Tokyo is understood to be much smaller and more modest, with most official events being held at the Residence.